CHAPTER 143: CHAPTER 144: WOMEN ALSO HAVE MUSCLES (3,000 WORDS)

And Li Shu, who had been idle these past days, couldn’t help but ask curiously upon seeing this.

"Lu Ren, what are you going to do?"

Lu Ren replied coldly, "Duel, kill."

I think if I flicked my head at this moment, it would definitely be more striking!

Lu Ren thought silently, but to maintain his cold image, he wouldn’t do such a silly thing.

"Uh..."

Li Shu’s eyes were full of astonishment, as if he couldn’t believe such a thing was still popular in modern society.

Watching Lu Ren walk away with his sword, he just widened his eyes.

This Lu Ren seems to be getting more and more emotionless.

If Lu Ren knew Li Shu’s thoughts, he would definitely smirk.

Hmph, woman.

Do I really have to let you know what I’m thinking inside?

Knowing too much is not a good thing!

...

...

Shu Capital, East Suburban Quan Lake, Submerged Chanting Club.

This is the large training ground of the Hidden Kill Swordsmanship Stream, usually only allowing its disciples to enter and practice sword techniques.

But today, this otherwise exclusive Submerged Chanting Club is exceptionally open to the outside world, not only to people from the Martial Arts Realm, but anyone invited can come.

Even because outsiders heard about this and came to join the fun, the Hidden Kill Swordsmanship Stream did not expel them.

As a result, word-of-mouth spread, and everyone wanted to see if reality was like the popular online videos showing martial artists with extraordinary abilities.

Under these circumstances, the place became as lively as a marketplace, but the Hidden Kill Swordsmanship Stream seemed to have been prepared and even set up a temporary performance arena.

"Sis, is there really a genuine martial artist duel happening here?"

A luxury elongated car slowly drove towards the Submerged Chanting Club, and a young boy inside asked the short-haired girl next to him.

The two were the children of the chairman of Cheng Group, Cheng Tianle and Cheng Qin, who had heard a bit about the Martial Arts Realm but had no clear understanding of its specifics.

Cheng Qin nodded slightly, somewhat uncertainly, "I heard there is. If it weren’t for an important business negotiation affecting Dad’s direction for the group’s development, he wouldn’t let us come, saying Uncle Tan should bring us here to broaden our horizons."

Cheng Tianle chuckled and looked at the middle-aged man silently gazing out the window beside him.

"Uncle Tan, there wouldn’t really be such martial artists who can hold off ten thousand foes, right?"

He gestured with his hands, "I think the odds of someone like Master Ma are higher."

Uncle Tan slowly spoke, "Tianle, don’t you like watching those martial artist fight videos online? Why, do you not believe them?"

"I just can’t believe people can stomp and create a pit, as Cheng Tianle exaggerated with his hands, crushing such a big bluestone slab like that; it’s either made of plaster or video effects!"

Seeing Cheng Tianle and Cheng Qin’s expressions of disbelief, Uncle Tan’s face showed a hint of a smile as he shook his head slightly.

"After this, you’ll understand the world isn’t as simple as you think. It’s just that as society advances and technology develops, many things have hidden in the shadows and even disappeared. But this time, it’s indeed a signal of resurgence..."

Uncle Tan closed his mouth, his mind full of doubts.

The disaster performance of the space quake had deeply influenced people over the years.

But traditional martial arts boxing usually takes three to four years, seven to eight years, and requires vast amounts of time and continuous daily practice to achieve anything; nothing compares to the quick effectiveness of kickboxing and no-holds-barred fighting.

Many people who couldn’t endure the hardships turned to those instead.

But undeniably, the number of people practicing boxing has increased.

Although it is extremely slow, many things change subtly over time.

As the car entered the club, Cheng Tianle and Cheng Qin saw white streamers and black cloth hanging outside the club gates, with white paper and black character couplets on both door frames.

Two rows of countless wreaths lined up along the corridor on both sides, and at first glance, the whole club’s atmosphere was filled with solemnity and chill.

Even the always lively Cheng Tianle couldn’t help but fall silent.

"What... is going on? Isn’t it a duel?"

Uncle Tan slowly spoke, "A vendetta in Jianghu, today’s duel is a life-and-death struggle."

He was equally shocked, with all eighteen of the top first-class boxing schools from the Southwest Three Provinces present, not to mention the other various second and third-rate martial arts schools and some loose cultivators.

In total, there were perhaps four to five hundred people present, plus some scattered guests, making nearly a thousand people in attendance.

The purpose of this widely-invited gathering was to witness this martial arts competition, which had not occurred in the Southwest Martial Arts Realm for many years.

Cheng Tianle looked at these people in disbelief, exclaiming, "Damn, why are these people so muscular?!"

Cheng Qin, who had been disinterested, was equally shocked upon seeing these people, akin to watching a bodybuilding competition, yet without the bloated look of those who specialize in muscle bodybuilding, and instead exuding a powerful and dynamic presence.

Almost without exception, all were robustly muscular, many even with statuesque physiques, like iron towers, none appeared weak or frail.

Some women, wearing only yoga pants and sports bras, revealed muscles that were equally astounding.

Each one is like a Kong Barbie!

Everyone possessed an extraordinary presence, with quite an intimidating aura.

Cheng Tianle nervously said, "Aren’t we stepping into a den of bandits?!"

Uncle Tan opened his eyes and stared at him: "Watch your words!"

Cheng Tianle immediately recoiled and stayed silent.

Uncle Tan explained, "True martial artists’ physiques are not as thin as one might imagine, nor as ethereal as portrayed in movies and TV dramas.

To gain sufficient power and speed, as well as robust durability and prolonged endurance, increasing muscle mass and strengthening the bones are essential, thus martial artists generally appear more robust and taller than the average person."

Cheng Qin eagerly asked, "Are those also female martial artists?"

"Yes."

Uncle Tan couldn’t help but glance at Cheng Qin, wanting to say something but ultimately holding back.

After all, achieving such a level requires prolonged and arduous effort, which is quite challenging.

"So, are all female martial artists built like this?"

Uncle Tan paused this time before answering, "It depends on the path they take, but generally speaking, female martial artists do not hold much advantage over males in terms of power and often pursue more agile paths. However, that’s not absolute; those women you see are experts in the Hundred Split Fist, whose strength is certainly not inferior to martial artists of the same level."

"How could they reach this level?"

Seeing Cheng Qin eager to try, Uncle Tan couldn’t help but pour cold water: "Talent."

Seeing the two about to ask more questions, Uncle Tan said, "Alright, let’s discuss this after we get off the car."

After the driver parked, the three of them slowly followed the crowd towards the club hall. There was no hubbub in the crowd; even if there was conversation, it was extremely subdued.

The heavy and oppressive atmosphere around made Cheng Tianle and Chen Qin, the siblings, restrain their antics even more. Furthermore, hardly anyone around was below 1.8 meters in height, leaving Cheng Tianle quite stunned.

Even someone nearly two meters tall, with explosive muscles stretching his clothes taut, resembling an iron tower, walked past him.

The sheer visual impact was incredibly shocking, constantly challenging his understanding of martial arts.

Seeing this, Uncle Tan couldn’t help but whisper, "He is a master from the Dragon Elephant Rock Stream, a disciple who has fully mastered the art."

Seeing the two looking baffled, Uncle Tan thought for a moment and said, "Have you heard of the Power Burning Fighting Club? That’s the industry of the Dragon Elephant Rock Stream Fist."

"Oh, I’ve been there. The martial arts coaches are decent, but their physiques don’t resemble these ones; I didn’t expect they truly possess real skill."

At this moment, in the open hall, at the central place set up like a memorial hall, a tall man dressed in a black top and white mourning clothes knelt in front of the spiritual tablet, head bowed, with his back to the crowd, his expression and face obscured.

Yet everyone felt that just by looking at him, it was like seeing a sword about to be drawn, giving off the keen impression of a divine weapon about to be unsheathed.

This man was none other than Huang Jixuan, the contemporary sect leader of the Assassination Swordsmanship Stream.

Across Huang Jixuan’s legs lay a longsword, in a black scabbard of unknown leather, embossed with strange patterns, leading up to a simple sword guard and a hilt long enough for a hand and a half distance.

Even though he remained motionless and silent, no one present could ignore his presence, and he naturally exuded an aura of singular dominance and invincibility.

This is the contemporary sect leader of the Assassination Swordsmanship Stream, Huang Jixuan, a top martial artist who achieved great perfection in fist techniques through Sword Dao.

In the entire Southwest Martial Arts Realm, in terms of weaponry, he ranks among the top five.

Beside the memorial hall were each sect, a towering figure about two meters tall stood silently, watching the kneeling figure in the center of the hall, eyes subtly glinting.

Though wearing a rather loose white martial arts uniform, he couldn’t hide his extremely muscular physique, akin to a Giant Spirit God.

This is Lei Wenfeng, the true core disciple of the Dragon Elephant Rock Stream Fist.

He came this time to see for himself the person who defeated Tie Feng, thinking they must be quite extraordinary.

Although Tie Feng self-funded his study in the Dragon Elephant Rock Stream, he undoubtedly became a top martial artist with great perfection in fist techniques. Except for not learning the Heart Intent Secret Martial Path, a privilege only for core disciples, he had mastered the true essence of the Dragon Elephant Rock Stream.